COMSOL Multiphysics vs FEATool Multiphysics
COMSOL Multiphysics
comsol.com
FEATool Multiphysics
featool.comSide by side
| Figure | COMSOL Multiphysics | FEATool Multiphysics |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 3 |
| Spec score · Physics Simulation Software | 8.9 (#2) | 8.6 (#10) |
| Authoring tools | Yes | Yes |
| Data export | Yes | Yes |
| Delivery mode | desktop | desktop |
| Founded | 1986 | 2012 |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Integrations | Interfacing products include LiveLink for MATLAB, Simulink, and Excel, plus CAD links or import tools for SOLIDWORKS, Inventor, AutoCAD, Revit, Solid Edge, CATIA, and ECAD. | The maker lists native MATLAB integration and connections to MATLAB add-ons including Simulink, Optimization, and Control Systems toolboxes. |
| Lesson library | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | COMSOL Multiphysics simulates designs, devices, and processes across engineering, manufacturing, and scientific research. | FEATool Multiphysics is an engineering simulation toolbox for modeling and solving physics problems. |
| Security and privacy | COMSOL says it uses recognized technologies and tools to protect data and describes safeguards including a Data Protection Agreement and technical and organizational measures for personal data transfers. | The privacy policy says Precise Simulation does not sell or rent personal information and describes its stated GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and Data Privacy Framework practices. |
| Support | To contact support, users must sign in with a COMSOL Access account; license options include technical support during the term or the first 12 months of a perpetual license. | Limited free help is available through the public community forum, with dedicated developer support available as an add-on. |
| 3D visuals | Yes | Yes |
Plans
COMSOL Multiphysics
- Perpetual license (commercial or academic; license type chosen by quotation)Priced on request
- Term license (commercial or academic; license type chosen by quotation)Priced on request
FEATool Multiphysics
- Default free trial licenseFree
- 1-Year licensePrice not published
- Perpetual licensePrice not published
In their own words
COMSOL Multiphysics
COMSOL Multiphysics is desktop software for simulating designs, devices, and processes in engineering, manufacturing, and scientific research. It supports single-physics and fully coupled multiphysics models, including user-defined physics descriptions and equations. Model Builder covers work from geometry and CAD through physics modeling, meshing, studies, optimization, solving, and visualization. Supported fields include electromagnetics, structural mechanics, acoustics, fluid flow, heat transfer, and chemical reactions.
Model Manager provides version control, storage, search, collaboration, permissions, and support for local or remote server databases. Application Builder lets experts create custom simulation interfaces for collaborators and customers; deploying those applications requires COMSOL Server or COMSOL Compiler. Interfacing products include LiveLink for MATLAB, Simulink, and Excel, as well as CAD links or import tools. The software supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, with offline access, authoring tools, 3D visuals, and data export. It is paid, with pricing on request, and a free trial is available. Customers contact COMSOL to evaluate requirements and choose a license; a sales representative responds within one business day.
FEATool Multiphysics
FEATool Multiphysics is desktop software for engineering simulation, with tools to model and solve problems across heat transfer, mass transport, structural mechanics, fluid dynamics, and electromagnetics. Models can be built in 1D, 2D, or 3D, including axisymmetric configurations. Geometry tools support modeling and exchange in STEP, IGES, STL, and OBJ formats; meshes can be generated with built-in tools or Gmsh, Netgen, tetWild, and Triangle. FEATool connects its solvers with OpenFOAM, SU2, FEniCS, and redbKIT workflows. Interface actions map to MATLAB functions, and projects can be saved as MATLAB scripts or exported as Python scripts for FEniCS. Results can be exported to MATLAB, CSV, GMV, and VTK, or as interactive ParaView Glance and Plotly web models. It runs as a standalone app on Windows and Linux, or as a MATLAB toolbox on Windows, Linux, and Intel Mac; no standalone macOS app is available. A limited-functionality trial is offered, with full-feature trials requestable for 30 days.